Eollee skate



l(No Model.)

C. H. DUTY.V

ROLLER SKATE.

Panted Aug'. l1, 1885.

IMI l IH No. 324,309.l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo CHARLES H. DOTY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SAMUEL M. LUTMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

ROLLER-SKATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324,309, dated August 11, 1885.

I Application filed Mayen 18, was. (No modem To all whoml t may concern.-

Beit known that I, CHARLES II. DoTY, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Roller-Skates, of which the following is a speciication.

My invention relates to roller-skates; and

my improvements are directed to a construc-r tion whereby the adjustment of the parts to regulate the rubber cushions and to take up or regulate the wear of the cushions is effected, and to a construction whereby the tensionplate is adj usted upon an inclined cushion-seat in a line parallel to the foot-rest, whereby to avoid crushing or injuring the cushion by unequal compression, and to afford durable connections and supports for the tension-plate, and provision for its adjustment. These objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a -side elevation of a roller-skate with my improved trucks and with my improved truck attachments. Fig. 2 represents a central longitudinal section of the truck attachments, and Fig. 3 a cross-section of the same. Fig. 4 shows the hanger, Fig. 5, the truck-attaching axle-box and hanger-bearing, and Fig. 6 shows the tension-plate for the cushion.

In the drawings, A represents the foot-rest, B the heel-iron, C the foot-strap, and D the ankle-strap, of well-known construction.

'Io the under side of the foot-rest is secured 3,5the hanger-plate E, having the pendent supports FF and ridge G integrally cast therewith. The hanger-supports are of unequal length. The end of the shortest hanger-support, F', has an enlargement, in which is formed a recess, c, preferably of conoidal form, as it affords a better bearing. The end of the longest support, F, has a threaded eye, b, through which passes a set-screw, H, provided with a jam-nut, h.. Y

I are the rollers, loosely mounted on the opposite ends of an axle, t', which is loosely journaled in a long tubular box, J, filling the space between the rollers, the inner sides of which revolve against the opposite ends of said 5o box.

The box at its middle point is provided Wit-h a top projection, K, extending at right angles to the box, one end, c, being preferably conoidal in form to enter the recess a in the short hanger-support F, and its other end recessed to receive the end of the set-screw H in the long hanger-support, the jam-nut h being screwed home to securely hold the truckconnections with the axle-box. i

The box-projection K on its upperside 1s provided with lateral extensions k, to form a plate on which the cushion-block M, of any elastic material, is seated. The cushion M is held between the side flanges of a tension-plate, N, having a bifurcated end to embrace the ridge G of the hanger-plate, which prevents any lateral displacement, while the other end or arm ofthe tension-plate has a slot, n, to receive the long hanger-supportF, through the outer end oi' which tension-plate, in a non- 7o threaded opening, d, therein, passes a shouldered screw, n2, which engages with athreaded aperture, e, in said hanger-support. The slotted arm as of the tension-plate when in position ext-ends in a horizontal plane or parallel with the hanger-plate E,and the cushionbearing part of the tension-plate runs parallel with the face of the cushion-seat on the box J, so that the arms n3 and tension-plate N are at an inclination to each other equal to the angle formed between the hanger-plate E and the box J. Vhen the tension-plate is advanced by the screw n2, the distance between the t'ension-plate Nand the cushion-seat 7c on the box is lessened, thus compressing the cushioningblock M, confined between the two. Slackening said screw increases this distance, thus permitting the tension of the cushioningk to be adj usted to take up wear or to suit the weight of the wearer.

The strain on the tension-plate N is sustained by lugs f, extending from either side of the hanger-support F, and bearing on the arms n3, and by its bifurcated end bearing on the hanger-plate E. 95

As the tension-plate N has a longitudinal movement in its adjustment and carries with it the cushioning-block M, in order to prevent displacement of the cushion or rubber block M, a piece of sheet metal, g, is interposed beroo tween the cushion and iis inclined seat, and has lian ges projecting upward in the front and rear of the block to hold it in place, while dow nwardl y-proj ectin g flanges, embracing the edges of the seat K, serve to guide the block in its movement upon its seat. Alubricatingaperture, Z, stands upwardly inclined from the bore of the box to retain a lubricant, which is fed therefrom only as needed to the box, along which it passes in both directions, and is fed to the boxes of the wheels.

In skates of this class where the bracketsupports are of unequal length and the rolleraxle box is mounted between ends thereof, so that a tilt or inclination of the foot-rest will cause the rollers, by reason of their inclined mountings, to assume an angular position in relation to the foot-rest proportionally to the tilt in order to describe greater or less curves, great diliiculty has been experienced in having the cushioning-block to quickly perform its function, owing` to the great amount of friction in the journaling of the truck to the bracket-supports, and also to the great amount of play occasioned between the wearing parts, there being no provision to adjust the part-s to take up such wear. These obj ections are overcome by my construction, as the friction between the roller-bearings and their bracketsupports is reduced to a minimum by having said truck-bearings at the ends of the axleprojections, and in providing one of said brackets with an adjustable bearing-support to take up the wear of the parts, thereby permitting the cushioning-block to quickly react on the rollers according to the successive tilts of the foot-rest.

rlhe hanger socket-bearing may be made of spheroidal form, and the box-projection K with a corresponding bearing, so as to act in the manner of a ball-and-soeket joint.

Instead of the langed plate for the rubber block, the tension-plate may have lange-projection at the front and back, the object being to hold the rubber block in place and to ad- 45 mit ol moving the pressure-plate without producing strain or damage to thc rubber block.

I claim- 1. Thecombination,withtheaxle-boxJ,hav ing a seat-plate connected therewith, and the 5o bracket-plate E, having the guide-ridge G, of the tension-plate N and the cushioning-block, the said tension-plate provided with a bifurcated end, and the support F, provided with lugs f, and means for advancing the plate N 55 parallel to the plate E, as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with the axlebox and the foot-rest bracket connected therewith by suitable bearings, of the rubber block seated 6o upon the axle-box and a tension-plate seated upon said block rigidly supported upon a braeketguide at one end and upon the bracket-arrn lugs at its other end against the up ward pressure of the rubber block, andascrew 65 for moving said tension-plate in a line parallel to the foot-rest, substantially as described, for the purpose specied.

3. In a roller-skate, a tension-plate having a bifurcated end and a slotted arm, in combi- 7o nation with the cushion and a foot-rest plate having a guide-ridge and a pendent bracketsupport passing through the slotted arm of said tension-plate, and provided with lugs bearing upon the arms of said plate as a means 75 for guiding and taking the strain off the plate inits adjusting movement, and a screw passing through the slotted arm of said plate into a threaded opening in said bracket-support, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CITAS. Il. DOTY.

Witnessesz T. I3. RUFF, Gno. L. An'rz. 

